The Energy Charter

🌍 Join today's WSP in Australia webinar to explore the challenges and opportunities of developing benefit-sharing schemes and creating lasting, sustainable legacies in the renewable energy sector! 🌱 Key topics to dive into: 👩🌾 Community-Centered Energy Transition: Ensuring benefits extend beyond construction and throughout the project lifecycle 🐮 Ongoing Challenges: Identifying and addressing gaps in community benefit programs for energy projects 🛣 Sustainable Energy Legacies: Defining what success looks like in the long term 🤝 Multidisciplinary Insights: Learning from real-world case studies and exploring new ways of working together 🌿 The Path Forward: Strategies for effective collaboration, commitment and monitoring. The expert panellists include: • Martine Holberton, Energy Charter Director, Renewables • Tyronne Garstone, First Nations Clean Energy Network • Jim Belford, Head of Social Performance, Origin Energy 📅 Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights into building meaningful and lasting benefits for communities through the renewable energy transition! #Webinar #RenewableEnergy #Sustainability #CommunityEngagement #EnergyTransition #BenefitSharing https://lnkd.in/gs6wpfCq

The Power of Collaboration in Queensland's Renewable Energy Code 🙌   In the rapidly evolving landscape of renewable energy, collaboration is not just a buzzword—it's a necessity. The recent workshop on the Queensland Renewable Energy Code highlighted this more than ever!   Bringing together diverse voices from landholders, First Nations communities, local governments, environmental advocates and industry collaborators, we explored "better practice" opportunities that go beyond regulatory requirements 🍃   💘 Our shared goal? To build social licence and create lasting, positive impacts across Queensland.   From co-designing engagement plans with community to ensuring transparent communication and offering standard agreements, we are collectively setting a new benchmark for how renewable projects could be developed. This isn't just about meeting expectations—it's about exceeding them, ensuring that the benefits of renewable energy reach all corners of our communities.   The workshop series, in collaboration with Queensland Renewable Energy Council (QREC) underscored a vital lesson: when we work together, we can achieve outcomes that are greater than the sum of our parts. 👏 Thank you Alex Wisman for the amazing scribing! Learn more ➡ https://lnkd.in/gePTEvcs   #RenewableEnergy #Collaboration #SocialLicence #Sustainability #Queensland

🌟 Exciting update from the National Customer Code for Energy Brokers, Consultants and Retailers 🌟 👏 After three years of progress, it was the perfect time to embrace a fresh approach to the Customer Code Council meetings and revisit our purpose, streamline the structure and enhance the support for Signatories in empowering their customers. We’re also delighted to announce that Business NSW will be joining the Customer Code Council meetings. Their involvement will help all stay attuned to the voice of the customer 🙌 A warm welcome to Leah Tucker, who will be joining us for our November meeting. A special shoutout to the new co-chairs, Nicholas Giles from EnergyAustralia and Emily Wood from Energy Users Association of Australia. It was also fantastic to see new faces at the meeting, including Duncan Livingston, Neil Gifford, Madonna Ghajar, David Lannan, Kevin Needs, Craig Meiklejohn, David Farag, James Iliffe and Tom Warriner. Your participation and insights are invaluable! A massive thank you to John Smith for his outstanding leadership as Chair over the past three years. John’s wisdom and experience have been instrumental in guiding the Customer Code and keeping it on track. What is the National Customer Code for Energy Brokers, Consultants and Retailers Customer Code❓This Code aims to give large energy customers confidence that Signatories are working together in their best interests and delivering value. ➡ https://lnkd.in/erAjcMmM 💡 #CustomerCode #EnergySector #Collaboration #Leadership #Innovation

👂What an amazing listening + learning session today at the First Nations Better Practice Community Engagement: Community of Practice about developing an innovative community-led project. Thank you to Chantelle Johns, Community Project Coordinator - Marlinja and Lauren Mellor, Clean Energy Communities Coordinator - Northern Territory at Original Power who shared about Australia's first Indigenous-owned, renewable powered, community microgrid in Marlinja, NT. Chantelle and Lauren shared their experiences developing an innovative community-led project that is set to reduce energy costs, improve local energy resilience, decarbonise the remote network and reduce disconnections for the small township. 👏 As always, it was an insightful session and a big thank you to the speakers and co-hosts Graeme Gardner, Aboriginal Community Engagement Advisor at TasNetworks and Nina Braid, Aboriginal Partnerships Manager at Yarra Valley Water. The session recording and resources have been added to the First Nations Better Practice Community Engagement Toolkit here ➡ https://lnkd.in/gdie9dws If you want to be part of these ongoing sessions, please visit our website and let us know here ➡ https://lnkd.in/guNEu6iT. You’ll receive the invitations to these Community of Practice sessions directly, saving you from registering for each individual session. This is a collaboration with Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA). #communityofpractice #knowledgesharing #firstnations #energy #water #communitybenefits

🚀 Excited for another Qld Renewable Energy Code Workshop! 🌏    Today, our Community Outcomes Group and renewable energy sector collaborators from across Queensland will gather for another pivotal workshop aimed at co-designing the Queensland Renewable Energy Code. Proudly a #BetterTogether initiative in collaboration with Queensland Renewable Energy Council (QREC)!    What’s on the agenda? ➡ Welcome: We'll kick off with a recap of our progress so far. ➡ Framework Update: Zoe Kemp from the Department of Energy and Climate will provide the latest on the Qld Renewable Energy Code. ➡ #Better Practice Insights:  ✔ Regional Communities: Andrew Bray, CEO RE-Alliance will share valuable insights.  ✔ Local Government: A panel discussion featuring Melissa Hamilton, Mayor of Southern Downs Regional Council; Andrew Smith, Mayor of Western Downs Regional Council and Shane McCarthy, Councillor of Flinders Shire Council, moderated by Wendy Agar from Engaged Outcomes. ➡ Next Steps: We’ll close with a clear plan for the path forward, led by Warwick Squire, CEO Coexistence Queensland and our CEO, Sabiene Heindl. Today’s workshop is another crucial step in shaping the future of renewable energy in Queensland. It’s not just about building infrastructure; it’s about ensuring that projects deliver real benefits to communities and stakeholders across the state. Looking forward to ongoing collaborating with this diverse and committed group of humans as we chart the course for Queensland's renewable energy future! 🌱 Want to know more: https://lnkd.in/gePTEvcs #RenewableEnergy #Sustainability #QldEnergy #CommunityEngagement #EnergyTransition

The message is clear! COLLABORATION is essential to gaining community support for the clean energy transition. 🤝 👏 It's great to see our #BetterTogether collaboration with Wimmera Southern Mallee Development highlighted in Dr. Simon Wright's piece in The Conversation Australia + NZ last week.    "The Wimmera Southern Mallee Collaboration in Victoria has brought together the community and 12 energy companies with projects in the region. The state government, NGOs and trusted local consultants are supporting this work to agree a collaboration framework. This framework will create the structure and commitments needed for energy businesses to collaborate and ensure communities benefit. These benefits include solutions to pressing local needs such as housing, childcare and other infrastructure and services."    Congratulations to Chris Sounness, CEO of Wimmera Southern Mallee Development for this leadership! Reinforced in the Regional Australia Institute Report “Towards Net Zero: Empowering Regional Communities” (https://lnkd.in/gsUdsMJF), the message is getting louder: Regional communities must have a say in shaping their future and renewable energy will thrive if developers and communities collaborate.    Read the article ➡ https://lnkd.in/gUubdbHy #CommunitySupport #CommunityEngagement #EnergyTransition #RegionalCommunities

🚍 Countdown to the Wagga Wagga Renewable Energy Site Tour as part of our National Landholder Engagement Training! 🌞 In just a couple of weeks, over 60 land agents and community engagement professionals will embark on a full-day bus trip to explore some of the most significant renewable energy infrastructure in the region. What’s on the agenda? 🔋 Tetris Battery Storage Facility + Solar Farm: Meet the host landholder and get insights on the project's progress. ⚡ Gregadoo Substation Works: A visit to the Wagga 330kV Substation. 🏗️ Transgrid Tower Construction: Observe tower erection on three adjoining holdings as part of Project EnergyConnect. 🏕️ Lockhart Camp: Explore the temporary construction camp and laydown area. 🏞️ Transmission Towers: See towers at various stages of construction. 🌾 Bomen Solar Farm: Meet the host landholder and learn about the operations of this fully functional solar farm. This tour is a unique opportunity to see renewable energy in action and, most importantly, to connect with the landholders who are integral to these projects. Their insights will be invaluable as we continue to improve and innovate in this space. Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to this exciting day! 🌱 Interested to know more? ➡ https://lnkd.in/ga-V5BnR #RenewableEnergy #Sustainability #CommunityEngagement #EnergyTransition #WaggaWagga

👋 Meet Adam Johnston, Chair of the Life Support in the Home: Lived Experience Panel.   We’re proud to have partnered with Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) who have assisted with a new consumer panel to help bridge the gap between the energy sector and Life Support Customers.    Adam Johnston’s role as Chair of the Lived Experience Panel includes to: ➡ Act in an independent manner and in the best interests of Life Support Customers with a focus on customers with critical healthcare needs ➡ Chair meetings in a collaborative and inclusive manner ➡ Work with the members of the Panel to identify priority topics for discussion.    A bit about Adam Johnston! 👉 Adam is a lawyer, holding a Masters of Laws from the University of New England (AU) and a Graduate Diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He also serves on a number of advisory and governance committees as a Consumer Advisor to Northern Sydney Local Health District and also a member of its Board, as well as a member of Health Consumers NSW and Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF).    With Adam’s experience, we’re thrilled to have him in this critical role within the #BetterTogether Life Support Customer initiative working towards better protections for Life Support Customers. You can learn more about this here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gcdbN5_7     #LifeSupportCustomers #EnergyEquity #BetterProtections

Whoop whoop! Martine Holberton our Director, Renewables is joining the WSP in Australia webinar 'Energy in Transition: Creating sustainable legacies'.    Panellists will dive into the challenges and opportunities of developing benefit-sharing schemes and creating lasting, sustainable legacies, including: 💡Putting communities at the core of the energy transition to ensure that benefits endure beyond the construction phase and into the project lifecycle  💡Ongoing challenges and gaps with community benefit programs on energy infrastructure projects and influencing factors  💡Multidisciplinary industry learnings and a holistic view of projects to enable new and effective collaboration.    The panellists include: ➡ Martine Holberton, Director, Renewables, The Energy Charter ➡ Kerry O’Brien, Community and Social Performance Team Lead, Powerlink Queensland ➡ Carla Martinez, Principal, Communities and Social Performance, WSP in Australia  ➡ Facilitator: Jennifer McDonnell, Principal, Communications and Engagement, WSP in Australia   Don’t miss this opportunity to explore how we can build meaningful and lasting benefits for communities through the renewable energy transition!    Register for the webinar on 27 August at 12PM AEST here👉 https://lnkd.in/g9-q2UPx #EnergyTransition #CommunityEngagement #RenewableEnergy #EnergyInfrastructure

We're excited to listen + learn from some of the best during our SOLD OUT National Landholder Engagement Training in Wagga Wagga on September 2, 3 and 4! 🙌 Here's the line up of the Land Agent Insights Panel: 👉 Jamahl Waddington, JLL 👉 Michael Harkin, AusNet  👉 Manfred Fahr, Enel Green Power 👉 Murray Abel, Powerlink Queensland  👉 Lachlan Baird, TasNetworks 👉 Tom Everitt, TDC Services 👉 Clint Hansell, Transgrid They’ll share their knowledge with over 60 land agents and community engagement professionals working in renewable energy. Here's what the SOLD OUT training is all about ➡ https://lnkd.in/ga-V5BnR #Landholder #SocialLicence #RenewableEnergy #CommunityEngagement